Natural
by palomino333
Summary: Viktor comes to realize just how much he cherishes Hermione's strong spirit and character during the Second Task.


I enjoy Ron/Hermione as a pairing, but there is something so charming about Viktor/Hermione. He goes out of his way to see her, and writes to her. Plus, it was enchanting when he took her to the Yule Ball. It was if she was Cinderella.

This is my first time writing a Harry Potter fanfiction, and using these characters. That declaration probably sounds spineless, but I'm worried as to whether or not I kept Viktor and Hermione in character.

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><p>The gaggle of giggling school girls never ceased to provide both annoyance and amusement to Viktor Krum. As many times as he would kindly ask for them to please give him a moment of peace, they would find his brushing off all the more alluring. They murmured among themselves that it gave him the romantic character of a loner. Hearing that made Krum have to swallow a chuckle. How could a team player like him be that way? There did come times, however, when he wished he was that self-absorbed. It would make it easier to deal with the loneliness. It was hard to find real friends when someone could make a few quick Sickles by publishing secrets of his private life in the tabloids.<p>

Sunlight poured down on the courtyard he was making his way across, brightly shining on the frost-covered grass, and casting spindly shadows on the ground from the trees' bare branches. The air was chilly, but not enough to bite, rather it was refreshing. As such, several students populated the area. A spot of homesickness formed in the pit of his stomach. As beautiful as Hogwarts was, he missed Durmstrang. Viktor would never trade away this experience, but it was all so foreign to him. He'd grown up with the students at his school. The same couldn't be said for here.

A few passing male students laughed raucously at some joke. The noise was loud enough to draw his attention. A moment later, they were gone, disclosing the form of the student sitting beneath a tree a small distance away. He felt warmth coarse over him as she saw her. Her long, wavy hair framed her face, which was cast down at the book in her lap. An apple, untouched, lay right next to the book. A red and yellow scarf decorated her neck. After seeing her so perfectly cleaned up for the Yule Ball, her hair fixed just so, and her dress perfectly in place, Viktor felt a sort of contentment at seeing her in her casual attire. Although she had been an image of divine beauty that night, this was much more natural.

"Hermione!" He called out to her as he made his way over. A chorus of groans followed him.

She looked up, and a smile appeared on her face as she stood, gathering her items in her hands. "Viktor, it's good to see you!" Hermione carried herself well. Krum could feel everyone's eyes on them, and here she was with a genuine voice and expression as if nothing was amiss.

"It's a pleasure to see you, too. What are you reading?" He asked, pointing at the book.

"I was studying for an exam. It isn't for a few days, but I thought that since I had some time on my hands, it would be best to start now," her gestured encompassed the courtyard's entirety as she continued, "It gives me a chance to enjoy one of the milder days outside."

Viktor considered himself lucky. He'd actually been on his way to the library, and if he hadn't chosen to cut across the courtyard, he would've missed her altogether. "I'm sure you'll manage. You're a clever girl," he replied in a confident voice, laying his hand on her book. She was so diligent, always planning ahead. She would certainly be successful later in life if she continued this habit, and he had a feeling that she would.

She smiled. "Thank you. I do suppose that I could use a small break. I completely forgot that I had brought a snack with me." She held out the apple, and one of the girls that was standing behind Viktor muttered something against Hermione. He quieted the peanut gallery by turning to look at her, his face expressionless. She fell silent, and backed further into the small group of females, embarrassed.

Turning back to Hermione, he asked as he bowed slightly, "Would you like to walk with me?"

A few of the girls let out heady sighs while Hermione gave a nod. "Certainly." As they left the tree behind, something cold was pressed into his hand. Looking down, he saw it was the apple.

"On second thought, I'm not very hungry. I would've eaten it if I was," she explained, "You can have it if you like."

He grinned as he held up the crimson fruit. "Thank you for the kind gift." The next moment, he took a bite out of it, and a pleasant conversation between them began. It was if the onlookers weren't there. All he saw was her smile.

XXXXXX

It was ghastly to see her in such a state. The lively, clever girl was reduced to nothing more than a doll-like damsel in distress. Krum knew he had to work quickly in order to earn a good score, but that wasn't the only reason why he bit so frantically at the bindings. He didn't want to see her like this anymore. He wanted her to smile and speak again, to be the way she always was.

Nothing seemed to work; Hermione still remained bound. That caused his adrenaline to sky rocket, and made his bites even more inaccurate. It was extremely hard to aim when his eyes were on either side of his head, rather than together at the front. He was getting nowhere fast until his attention was caught by the Potter boy, who held out a rock. Nodding in acknowledgment, Viktor beat it against the bindings, and Hermione fell loose into his arms. He wasn't sure why his opponent still remained, but he did feel his pride soiled somewhat in the fact that without him, he wouldn't have known what to do.

Potter slipped out of his vision as he swam quickly away, Hermione clutched tightly to him. If he had still possessed his human features, he would have smirked in a sour fashion. Her bond with her friends, Potter and Weasley, was solidified in that incident. He'd come all that way to save her, but Potter had stolen the show. That detail didn't matter much in the grand scheme of things. He couldn't fail Headmaster Karkaroff.

Her hair, billowed out by the water, brushed against his gills by mistake, causing him to jerk slightly. She wouldn't see his monstrous head; he would switch back to his human form once they reached the surface. He couldn't help but wonder, though, whether he should in fact keep it, as Hermione did enjoy learning about complex spells. No, the need to breathe trumped that. Sharks didn't do well out of water, and he didn't want to look the fool by choking.

At long last, his destination was in sight. Viktor felt elation at the fact that the maiden he held would come alive again. However, it wasn't a full sense of victory. He wasn't sure if he would make it out first or not, and he knew afterwards he would have to face the scoring. That wasn't something to which to look forward. It wasn't that he was afraid of it; there was absolutely no reason for him of all people to be. Throwing his efforts at a panel that was at times quite hard to sway just didn't merit enjoyment. At least he could savor seeing her awaken. Moments that seemed to stretch to unimaginable lengths passed as he swam toward the light from the sky above shining down on the rippling surface. Close, so close…

The silence of the underwater atmosphere was ripped away to be replaced by the cheers of the crowd. Viktor's smile was bittersweet as he was yanked out of his introspection by reality, his shark head vanishing. Her gasps as she awakened were like sweet music to his ears, placing it all in the background for just a little while. His smile turned to one of a champion. It had all been worth it in the end. The real Hermione Granger was in his arms once more.


End file.
